Glasgow Archaeological Society Constitution
1. Name. The name of the Society shall be Glasgow Archaeological Society (hereinafter referred to as GAS).
2. Object. GAS is a Charitable Organisation, the object of which is to promote the study of archaeology, particularly in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.
3. Membership
3.1 Categories. Membership of GAS shall consist of:
- Ordinary Members
- Associate Members
- Student Members
- Honorary Members
3.2 Election. Ordinary Members. Application for Ordinary Membership should be made in writing to the Membership Secretary. Names of Applicants will be announced at each meeting of GAS, and they shall be deemed elected on the votes of the majority of members present. Associate Members. Associate Members shall be partners of Honorary or Ordinary Members. Student Members. Student Members must be in full-time education, and may only be Student Members for a maximum of four years. Honorary Members. Honorary Membership shall be conferred only upon those who have forwarded the study of archaeology and/or rendered conspicuous service to GAS. They may be either proposed by Council, or by at least ten Ordinary Members to Council. On approval by Council, names will be submitted to the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as AGM). Holders of the Presidential Award shall be made Honorary Members.
3.3 Entitlement
Ordinary Members shall be entitled to attend all lectures and other events organised by GAS, and to receive all of the Society’s regular periodical publications. They shall be eligible for election to Council, and to vote in the Society’s affairs.
Student Members shall have the same entitlement as Ordinary Members.
Associate Members shall have the same entitlement as Ordinary Members except that they shall not be entitled to receive the Society’s Scottish Archaeological Journal.
Honorary Members shall have the same entitlement as Ordinary Members, except that they shall not be required to pay a subscription.
4. Subscription
4.1 Subscription Rates shall be proposed by Council and be subject to approval at an AGM. Notice of changes in subscription rates shall be issued with the papers for the AGM, and, if approved, will normally become operable the following October.
4.2 Subscriptions shall become due and payable to the Membership Secretary on 1st October of each year.
4.3 Members whose subscriptions are in arrears shall not be entitled to any privileges of membership. A member whose subscription is 15 months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.
5. Nomination of Office Bearers and Ordinary Members of Council
5.1 The Council shall have the power to nominate members as Office Bearers or Ordinary Members of Council.
5.2 Members may propose and second names in writing to the Secretary at least four weeks before the AGM, provided that such nominations are accompanied by a written declaration of willingness to stand from the Nominee.
5.3 In the event that at the AGM there are posts for which no prior nominations have been received, nominations may be from the floor, provided that they are duly proposed and seconded.
6. Composition of the Council
6.1 The Office Bearers shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Journal Editor, a Minute Secretary, a Membership Secretary, a Publicity Officer, an Excursions Officer, a Newsletter Editor and a Publications Officer.
6.2 The Council shall consist of the Office Bearers with between five and nine other elected members (The Ordinary Members).
6.3 The President and Vice-President shall be elected for three years; the Vice-President shall be elected for 3 years and will normally then stand for President, or stand down. The President shall not be eligible for re- election to Council in any capacity for one year after demitting office. The other Office Bearers and The Ordinary Members shall be elected annually and shall be eligible for re-election.
6.4 In the event of a vacancy occurring among the elected members before the completion of a member’s term the Council may co-opt another member to serve the completion of the term. Such co-opted members shall be eligible for re-election at the end of the term.
6.5 The Council shall have the power to appoint committees to organise particular aspects of the Society’s activities. The President, Vice-President and Treasurer shall be ex officio members of all standing committees. Decisions of committees must be ratified by the Council before they are put into force.
6.6 The Council may co-opt additional members at its discretion.
7. Duties of President, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurer and other Office Bearers
7.1 The President shall normally convene all meetings of the Council and General Meetings. In the absence of the President and Vice-President at any meeting, a convenor shall be appointed by those members present.
7.2 The Vice-President shall deputise for the President, convene any Lectures Committee, conduct the correspondence of GAS and make copies for the Archive.
7.3 The Treasurer shall be responsible for the depositing in appropriate bank accounts of all subscriptions, donations and other moneys due or given to GAS, and for the issue of receipts and acknowledgements accordingly. The Treasurer shall make all payments on behalf of GAS and keep fully detailed accounts of all such intromissions. He or she will strike a balance as at 31st December each year.
7.4 The Journal Editor shall edit the Scottish Archaeological Journal, reporting regularly to Council on progress with each issue and shall appoint an Editorial Board, to be confirmed by Council.
7.5 The Minute Secretary shall keep records of all GAS business meetings, produce Agendas and notices of meetings, and ensure copies of all GAS minutes and papers tabled are archived.
7.6 The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for dealing with applications to join the Society and the maintenance of the Society’s list of members.
7.7 The Publicity Officer shall convene any Publicity Committee and co-ordinate creation and dissemination of publicity materials.
7.8 The Excursions Officer shall convene any Excursions Committee and make all necessary arrangements for the Society’s Excursions.
7.9 The Newsletter Editor shall edit, arrange printing and disseminate the newsletter.
7.10 The Publications Officer shall monitor stocks of all publications other than the current issues of the Scottish Archaeological Journal and the newsletter, and manage sales.
7.11 All Office Bearers, on demitting office, shall ensure that their papers are either passed to their successor or deposited in the Archives.
8. Powers of the Council
8.1 The Council shall conduct its business within the terms and spirit of this Constitution as seems best to it in the interests of GAS.
8.2 It shall have the power to define the duties of the Office Bearers, other than in Section 6 of this Constitution.
8.3 It shall have the power to arrange meetings of GAS.
8.4 It shall have the power to suspend or expel any member whose conduct, in its opinion, is prejudicial to the interests of GAS.
8.5 It shall have the power to purchase, hire, borrow or otherwise lawfully acquire such premises, machinery, furniture, fittings or other equipment as may be considered necessary, helpful or expedient for the furtherance or implementation of the objectives of GAS.
8.6 It shall have the power to arrange exchanges of the Society’s Scottish Archaeological Journal with other learned societies and to offer the Scottish Archaeological Journal and offprints for sale at prices to be determined by Council.
8.7 A Council decision may only be altered by a two-thirds majority of votes cast at either the AGM or a Special General Meeting.
9. Meetings
A Council Meetings
9.1 The Council shall meet regularly to transact the business of GAS.
9.2 Five of the Council shall form a quorum, provided that at least three are Office Bearers.
9.3 In the event of a disagreement among members of the Council, a simple majority or the Convenor’s casting vote shall decide the matter in dispute.
B Society Meetings
9.4 General Meetings shall be open to the public.
9.5 The quorum for the transactions of the Society’s business at General, Annual and Special meetings shall be 40 members or 20% of the membership, whichever is less.
9.6 The AGM shall be held before the end of April each year. It shall convene to receive, consider, deliberate and vote on the adoption of the Annual Report and Financial Statement, to elect the Office Bearers and Ordinary Members of Council, to appoint independent examiners, and to transact the ordinary business of GAS. Motions for the adoptions of reports shall be proposed and seconded and, together with elections for Office Bearers and Ordinary members of Council, shall be decided on the basis of a simple majority.
9.7 Notices of motions to be raised at the AGM must be forwarded to the Secretary at least six weeks before the AGM, to allow the circulation of details with the papers for the AGM.
9.8 The Council may at any time deemed expedient summon a Special General Meeting of the Society, and shall be bound to do so on receiving a requisition signed by at least ten paid-up members. At least fifteen days notice of such a meeting shall be given to members.
10. Funds and Funding
10.1 The Council shall have the power to acquire such additional funds as may be required for the proper execution of the charitable objects of GAS by soliciting donations, covenants, legacies and grants, and by lawful fund-raising activities. 4
10.2 Any funds in the possession of GAS, after payment of all proper expenses of administration and management and which are not required for immediate or imminent application for its Objects, shall be invested by the Council in such a responsible manner as it may think fit.
10.3 The accounts of the Society shall be examined by two ordinary members of the Society appointed at the AGM each year who are not Office Bearers, Ordinary members of the Council, or members of the Publications Committee, and the Accounts, together with the Independent Examiners’ report, shall be submitted at the AGM.
11. Donations. Donations and legacies to GAS may be received and shall be acknowledged and recorded in the Minutes.
12. Expenses. The Treasurer shall be permitted to reimburse claimants for authorised expenses previously agreed by the Council.
13. Restriction. No member or individual shall claim to represent GAS’s interest or involvement in any matter whatsoever unless express authorisation has been received from the Council in writing.
14. Copyright. Unless agreed alternative arrangements have been made, copyright of any publications GAS may issue shall subsist with GAS. This shall be strictly enforced regardless of the medium.
15. Dissolution.
15.1 In the event of the winding-up of GAS, any available funds, after any outstanding debts have been settled and any loans having been repaid, shall be transferred to one or more charitable bodies having constituted Objects of a nature which the Council considers are similar to those herein declared, as may be selected and approved by the Council.
15.2 At the winding-up, no part of GAS’s funds may be distributed among members or individuals, nor shall any funds go to any body which does not promulgate a similar restriction on the disposal of funds in its Constitution.
15.3 The Minute Books, Inventory and Record Books of GAS at the time of the winding-up shall be disposed of by agreement to Glasgow University Archives.
16. Alterations to the Constitution
16.1 Written notice of any motion to add to, delete from or otherwise alter the regulations incorporated in this Constitution, must be sent to the Vice-President at least six weeks prior to the date of the AGM. Such motion(s) with the precise terms of the proposed alteration(s) shall be circulated to the membership at least seven days before the AGM.
16.2 The motion(s) will be deemed to have failed unless two-thirds of the votes are cast in favour. 5
17. Availability. A copy of this Constitution shall be made available to any member of the Society, or other interested party, on demand.
Adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the Glasgow Archaeological Society, held in the Boyd Orr Building, University of Glasgow, on Thursday 16th April 2015.
Susan Hothersall, President